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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. saw — the tool
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. game — wild animals
  6. saw — the tool
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. bulb — for light
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. pitch — completely
  12. object — to protest
  13. object — an aim
  14. key — in music
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. bulb — for light
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. key — for a lock
  21. game — a match
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. key — the most important part
  24. pitch — a sales talk

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com